1959 Map of Carneros Rocks

About this map

Extensive petroleum extraction infrastructure dominates this arid Kern County landscape, where the South Belridge Oil Field and Chico Martinez Oil Field meet the geological folds of the Bacon Hills. The 1959 survey records a transition from industrial activity to the rising elevations of the Temblor Range, which cuts across the southwestern portion of the map. Evidence of resource extraction is pervasive, shown through numerous oil wells and several scattered strip mines located along the ridges. Water sources are scarce but significant, with Carneros Spring and the Salt Creek Area providing critical points of reference in the dry terrain. The presence of the McDonald Anticline underscores the subterranean geological formations that drove the region's mid-century energy boom, while surface features like the Landing Strip and Standard Road reflect the specialized transportation needs of the oil industry.